Deut. 1:26

"But you were unwilling to go up; you rebelled against the command of the Lord your God."

Forty years later, once again Israel stood on the far side of the Jordan, looking across to the land God had promised to their fathers. Moses, one of only three survivors of that earlier group, urged the younger generation to obey the Lord and to trust Him to be faithful to His promise. God had been unable to give their fathers many good things because of their rebellion. But are we more obedient? Or do we fear that if we wholeheartedly obey the Great Commission God will demand too much of us? Are we afraid that He will not take care of us if we “recklessly” give our money, resources, and children to fulfill His command?

Oh, Lord, help us to understand Your loving heart for all kinds of people. We want to trust all we are and have to Your care and Your purposes.

Nair People of India

“Dressed in his uniform, he marched out of his house and arrogantly strode down the path, shouting angrily, ‘Out of my way, you peasants!’” The little Nair boy’s eyes sparkled with delight as he hung on every word his father spoke. The details of the life of his great, great, great grandfather never failed to thrill him.

Many years ago, men of the Nair caste of southern India were insolent, haughty land-owning military personnel. When they left their homes, they loudly warned peasants to get out of their way. If a peasant didn’t comply, the soldier could kill him. If a peasant even touched a Nair lady, all her relatives immediately killed her and the peasant man.

Today the more than 7,000,000 members of the Nair caste don’t all follow one profession or business. They represent such diverse occupations as traders, artisans, oil-mongers, barbers and washer men. But many still always carry arms with them. They are all Hindus whose main object of worship is Vishnu but who also wear the mark of the god Shiva on their foreheads.